Homefront IPA – Four Years of Hops for Heroes

It was way back in June of 2011 that I first told you about Chris Ray and his plan to brew a beer to honor and benefit America’s veterans (read the original story). That first year, Homefront IPA was brewed at Fremont Brewing and a small handful of other breweries across the country. Now entering its fourth year, the Hops for Heroes program continues to grow and the 2014 version of Homefront IPA, which will be released on Memorial Day, is being brewed by 11 different breweries, in every corner of the country.

In 2011, when the first batch of Homefront IPA was brewed at Fremont Brewing, Chris Ray was a relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. He has now retired from baseball and, along with his brother, operates Center Of The Universe Brewing, a craft brewery in Ashland, Virginia.

Here is the official press release about the upcoming release of Homefront IPA. Also below, the label artwork that will appear on the cans. As I understand it, more than one brewery will use this can artwork:

Hops for Heroes is excited to announce the participating breweries for this year’s brewing of Homefront IPA.

Chris Ray. First batch of Homefront IPA 2011.

Ashland, VA, March 18: Since 2011, Hops for Heroes has been expanding each year. The dedication to our troops by the craft brewing community can be seen with 11 total breweries participating in 2014. This dedication can also be seen by the growing number of sponsors, including Crown Beverage Packaging USA, who has come on board to supply a uniform can for this years efforts.

Center of the Universe Brewing Company, Ashland, VA

Fremont Brewing Company, Seattle, WA

Sly Fox Brewing Company, Pottstown, PA

Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL

Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis, MO

Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Houston, TX

21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA

Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO

Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA

Palmetto Brewing Company, Charleston, SC

Maui Brewing Co., Lahaina, HI

Homefront IPA was developed in 2011 by Fremont Brewing Company and Center of the Universe Brewing Company in order to raise money and awareness for Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront is a charity that provides emergency assistance to military heroes and their families. Aged on Louisville Slugger maple bats, this IPA does more than just quench your thirst; it improves the lives of our soldiers.

Homefront IPA is a unique charity beer in that 100% of the proceeds are donated to Operation Homefront. With the help of 6 participating breweries and other organizations that donated the hops and grains used to make the beer, Hops for Heroes was able to raise roughly $80,000 dollars for Operation Homefront in 2013.

This year, Hops for Heroes is hoping to top $200,000 and is set to brew 800 barrels (24,800 gallons) of beer between the 11 participating breweries. The beers will be debuting a week before Memorial Day.